Lithium-based cells or batteries often comprise cathodes of transition metal oxides which are used as intercalation compounds. The intercalation reaction involves the interstitial introduction of a guest species, namely, lithium into the host lattice of the transition metal oxide, essentially without structural modification of the host lattice. Such intercalation reaction is essentially reversible because suitable transition states are achieved for both the forward and reverse of the intercalation reaction.
The basic components of a lithium cell typically include a lithium anode, a separator, and a metal oxide intercalation cathode active material such as a vanadium oxide compound. The cathode is usually a mixture of such oxide compound and other components such as graphite and an electrolyte/binder which provide ionic transport. During cell operation, incorporation of lithium in the metal oxide occurs. Examples of lithium metal oxides include lithium vanadium oxide (LiV.sub.3 O.sub.8) and lithium manganese oxide (LiMnO.sub.2). Lithium vanadium oxide is particularly favored. U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,620 describes a process for forming a lithium vanadium oxide compound by mixing precursor components containing lithium with vanadium pentoxide and then baking the mixture to a temperature in the range of about 700.degree. C. (centigrade) to 800.degree. C. to cause formation of LiV.sub.3 O.sub.8. The molten LiV.sub.3 O.sub.8 is then cooled and ground up into a powder. The melt process has certain disadvantages because it is difficult to handle molten metal oxides at high temperatures and special procedures are required. In addition, there is a reaction between the molten LiV.sub.3 O.sub.8 and most containers used for conducting the reaction which thereby causes contamination of the product. In addition, a significant amount of mechanical energy is required to grind the cooled, solidified LiV.sub.3 O.sub.8 product into a powder for inclusion in a cathode composition of an electrochemical cell. Despite these difficulties, typical melt processes, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,620, continue to be used to obtain positive electrode active material. Therefore, what is needed is a new process for preparing lithium metal oxide which is economical, which does not require handling metal oxide constituents in a molten state and which achieves good conversion of the starting materials to the final lithium metal oxide product.